As a Certified Professional Life Coach, educator, and storyteller, Andrea Hecht helps women reimagine their lives, reconnect with their inner purpose, and reignite their fire within. Andrea provides individual and group coaching, helping you uncover your next chapter! For personalized guidance from Andrea Hecht, visit Fullyinformedlife.com and schedule your complimentary discovery session today. N
ow's your chance - step up and reimagine life today. Please scroll down to read an excerpt from Andrea Hecht's book of life and what led to her decision to utilize her skills and follow her passion for serving others.
45 YEARS OF CHAPTERS & STILL WRITING
An excerpt from Andrea Hecht's book of life:
WELCOME TO THE WORLD: On March 31, 1977, Andrea Phyllis Haron made her grand debut at Sinai Hospital, Detroit, Michigan. Her loving parents and older brother quickly learned that the 3 ½ week delay was well worth the wait. Didn't they realize all good things come to those that wait?
LAUNCHING MY FIRST BUSINESS: (age 10) My love of jewels inspired me to launch my first custom-bead bracelet business.
LEAVING ON A JET PLANE: (age 14) Au Revoir, I'm leaving on a jet plane – without my parents – and heading to the south of France to spend the summer as an exchange student. Only having a year's worth of French training didn't stop me from traveling across the Atlantic Ocean.
IT'S GREAT TO BE A MICHIGAN WOLVERINE: (age 18) For 18 years, I dreamed of being a marshmallow-throwing fan at a University of Michigan game. That goal became a reality after receiving my acceptance letter to the class of 1999.
NEXT STOP, ST. MALO, FRANCE: (age 19) Time to travel across the Atlantic Ocean again as a proud recipient of a scholarship to study and live with a French family for the summer in St. Malo, France.
J'ADORE PARIS: (age 20) Holding to my spirit for travel and new experiences, I spent six months living and studying the French language and culture. As a bonus, several weekends were spent experiencing European cities' sights, sounds, and tastes. J'adore Paris and the Eiffel tower view from my apartment window.
THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS: (age 21) 2 weeks after graduating from the University of Michigan, I packed my bags and headed to the City that Never Sleeps! Without a job, I pounded the streets of the concrete jungle, passing out my resume, and quickly landed a career as a Corporate Event Planner at Merrill Lynch. Planning events and traveling worldwide, including the US Open, French Open, and Wimbledon, this 22-year-old loved life.
IMAGES I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO ERASE: (age 24) Horrifying images forever engrained in my head…watching from the World Financial Center the United plane crash into the building, climbing down 35 flights of stairs barefoot, trying to make multiple calls to family members, and finally reaching my father after 45 minutes. Images and the urge to do something more socially rewarding are engrained in my brain.
BACK TO THE CLASSROOM: (age 25) In pursuing a direct contribution to children and their families, I headed to Chicago, Illinois, to receive my Master of Education at Loyola University. While NYC and my career at Merrill Lynch were exciting, it was time to follow my gut feeling of needing to do something different.
SIDE-HUSTLE: (age 26) I launched my second business, hand-knit purses and custom cigar box purses. My collections were sold in a Chicago shoe store and a clothing store in Michigan. While completing my master's program, I spent my free time knitting and making purses.
CAREER MAKEOVER: (age 26) After a 2-year stint in Chicago, it was time to head back to New York. Brooklyn was where I would spend my days as a 3rd-grade teacher. After a successful first year of teaching, given the honor, I looped up to 4th grade with my class. I spent the next few years watching my students turn from caterpillars into beautiful butterflies, ready to sore!
TYING THE KNOT: (age 28) We made singer Chaka Khan proud on July 30, 2005. Ain't nobody else who would do a hip-hop wedding dance with my husband!
WELCOME TO MOTHERHOOD: (age 30) On July 21, 2008, we welcomed our son to the world. I chose to leave my Brooklyn classroom and be the dedicated teacher to our baby bundle.
A FAMILY OF FOUR: (age 34) Our family became complete on October 28, 2011, when we welcomed our baby girl.
THE MANY HATS: (age 34 – 41) I wore many hats throughout these years. Motherhood sprinkled with the launch of my Beautycounter business of educating others to lead a healthier lifestyle, a role as a preschool teacher, carpool driver, and event planner. These years were a time of self-exploration and discovering how I wanted to approach motherhood and beyond.
FULLY INFORMING OTHERS: (age 41) In 2018, I launched the Fully Informed Life brand to educate others and inspire people to lead an informed lifestyle. I started writing Andrea's Anecdote column for the North Caldwell Magazine.
SUMMER HAPPY PLACE: (age 44 - 45) Nice People's Place became my summer happy place. As program director and office manager, I spent the entire summer at one of the happiest places on earth, surrounded by people who make me laugh and want to have fun 24/7!
BACK TO THE CLASSROOM: (age 45) After years of self-reflection, the greatest gift I gave to myself on my 45th birthday was to head back to the classroom. I continued to develop my skills for serving others and started my journey to becoming a Certified Professional Life Coach.
CHANGING DIRECTION WITH PURPOSE: (age 45 and beyond) I am proud to announce the launch of the coaching division of the Fully Informed Life brand to help others lead a life of purpose and passion as they change directions and write the different chapters in their book of life. While there have been many pages written in my book of life, the one thread that has held is my desire to explore, connect with others, and challenge myself along the way. As each chapter is written, I face the unknowns with curiosity. My question for you is, where are you today? How would you like to write the next pages of your book of life?
